Mail-bag-delivering apparatus



(No Model.) a Sheets-Sheet 1.

B. 'D. AYARS, Jr.

MAIL BAG DELIVERING APPARATUS.

No. 539,374. v Patented May 14,1895.

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3. Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

,B; D. AYARS, Jr; MAIL BAG DELIVERING APPARATUS.

Patented May 14,1895.

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B. D. AYARS, Jr.

7 MAIL BAG DELIVERING APPARATUS. No. 539,374. PatBnt'edMay 14. 189

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PATENT OFF-ICE.

BENJAMIN AYARS, JR, OF CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TOGEORGE M. BUNTING AND GEORGE M. BOOTH, OF SAME PLACE, AND HOWARD W.LIPPINCOTT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MAIL-BAG-DEL IVERING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 539,374, dated May 14,1895. Application filed September 22, 1 8 94:. Serial No. 523,808. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom it' may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN D. AYARS, Jr., of Chester, in the county ofDelaware and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain DeliveringApparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming to a part of this specification, and tothe figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to devices for delivering mail in bags from movingtrains and for catching up the outgoing bag at the same time from thecrane alongsidethe track and upon which the bag is suspended.

The objects of my invention. are, first, to provide a mechanism on thecar whereby by a single act, the mail clerk on the car can bring boththe delivery and catching mechanism into action; second, to improve theconstruction and operation of the receptacle into which the mail bagisthrown fromthe car, and, finally, to improve the details ofconstruction of the delivering apparatus, where-.

by greater efficiency and certainty in its action are secured.

With these objects in view, my invention consists in the improvedconstruction, ar-

0 rangement and combination of parts hereinafter fully described andafterward specifi cally pointed out in the claims.

In theaccornpanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of part of acar with my de- 3 5 vices attached and a longitudinal vertical sectionthrough one of myimproved mail-bag receptacles alongside the track, theparts being in operative position with a mail-bag suspended from thecrane and another upon the delivery-arm.- Fig. 2 is a longitudinalhorizontal section through part of a car and a top plan view of thereceptacle alongside the track, the various parts being in the sameposition as in Fig. 1. Fig. 3'is a transverse.

5 vertical section through the car and a front end elevation of thereceptacle with the parts in the same relative positions as in Figs. 1and 2. Fig. t is a partial side elevation of the car and its attacheddevices, the parts be- 'ing in the positions in which they remain whennot in use. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through part of themail-catcher, and Fig. 6 is a cross-section through the same on thelines co m of Fig. 5. Figs. 7 and 8 are 5 new and useful Improvements inMail-Bagdetails of the lock for the delivering-arm. 5 Figs. 9 and 10 aresections through the castoff device.

Like numerals and letters of reference indicate the same'parts whereverthey occur in the various figures ofthe drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the side ofia car,having therein the usual side doorway 2. On one side of the door openingaffixed to the sideof 'the car is a plate 3 having bracket bearings 4and 5 for a vertical shaft 6 and similar bearings 7 and 8, which, withbearing 5 support a horizontal shaft 9. Secured rigidly to the aforesaidupright shaft 6 is the horizontal delivering arm 10 which has piv- 7ooted upon its outer end a trip or cast off (to be presently described),upon which the mail bag 13 to be delivered from the car, is suspended.

On the upper end of shaft 6, I mount a gear 5 segment l tmeshing with asimilar gear seg-' ment 15 on the horizontal shaft 9. Thus by turningshaft 9, it will cause shaft 6 to turn and move thehorizontal arm 10 outto its working position at approximately rightan- 8o gles to the side ofthe car, as in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 where its motion is arrested byshoulders 70, or back to its position of rest, as in Fig. 4. Shaft 9 hasa flat side or cut away portion at 16 (Figs. 5 and 6) and is adapted toenter a cavity or bore in the rear, or large arm 17 of a mail bagcatcher 18, sufficient play being left for the ordinary longitudinalmovement of the catcher arm. The catcher is supported by this shaft atone end. Its other end enters a bearing 20 secured to, the side of thecar in front of the door, an adjustable collar being provided to limitits forward movement. Between the rear end of the catcher and thebearing of the horizontal shaft 9, I locate the 5 usual buffer oryielding collar 22, to relieve the sudden impact of the bag when caughtfrom the usual crane, such as 26, set up alongside of. the track.

The barrel or large arm 17 is provided with too i above the said mouththe bag is released, and

a transverse opening to receive a flat pin 27 secured to the door jambby a chain 28, which pin enters the cut away portion 16 of shaft 9,locking the parts for simultaneous rotation,

but as the pin is not as long as the flat side of arm 30 in position tocatch the bag on the.

crane and at the same time turns the horizontal shaft 9, and verticalshaft 6, carrying the horizontal arm (with a mail bag suspended upon itshook) to a horizontal position, bringing the bagin proper position to bedelivered. This delivery of the bag is automatically accomplished bymeans of a cast-off device consistin g essentially of a block Hsuspended on the delivering arm by havingthe arm passed through anaperture 50, Figs. 9 and IQ and having at the lower endaretaining hookandlatch 51 for the rings of themail bag to be fastened in, and at thetop, an upwardly projecting releasing lever or arm adapted to strikeastatiolnary trip and release the latch, allowing the bag to escape. Insaid Figs. .9 and 10 it will be seen that the latch lettered 52 ispivoted and locked in closed position by the spring pressed lockinglever 53, the upper end of which rests on the releasing lever 54: inposition to release the latch when the lever is moved in thedireetionindicated by thearrow. The latch normally hangs open by reason of itsweighted rear end.

Alongside the track there is arranged a crane carrying a trip with whichthe releasing lever comes in contact, preferably consisting of a seriesof pivoted depending fingers 56. The advantage in employing a series offingers is obvious, for only one or two of them will be struck by thereleasing lever and while they will be ample to release the bag,yet theywill not strike a damaging blow or injure the delivery apparatus.

To receive the bag as it is released from thedelivering crane withoutinjury to either the bag or surrounding objectsl provide a receiverwhich in combination with the delivery apparatuson the car enables thebags to be delivered and taken up .with equal facility. t

The receiver consists of a house-like structure 32 built upon theextended ends of the ties close beside the track and having at the endtoward which the train approaches, a flaring mouth 31, the top of whichinclines upwardand is slotted centrally at 33 for the passage of theholding device on the delivering arm. Thus the bag passes into the mouthof the receiver and by locating the trip 54:

passes into the body of thereceiver while the holding device passes onthrough the slot and may be swung in against the side of the car.

As the bag passes back into the receiver it strikes the curved rear walland is deflected, finally coming to rest on the bottom from whence itmay be removed through a door in the side of the receiver. In order toprevent the abstraction of the bag through the entrance, I provide aswinging door 5t which is normally held in the position, shown in fulllines, Fig. l, but which is released by the bag and then swings down tothe position shown in dotted lines, where it is held by a catch orautomatic lock 35 and can only be returned to normal position from theinside of the receiver by the person removing the bag. The door is heldup by a catch 35 and released by the backward movement of a swingingboard87acting both as abut-fer and as releaser for the door catch, theconnectiomwith the catch being made through the connecting rod 38asshown.

To insure the release of the door should the bagnot strike the swingingboard or releaser the bottom 39 of thereceiveris pivotally supported andhas an arm .40 connected by rod 41 withthe rear end of rod 38. Thus whenthe .weight of: the bag depresses the floor the door is releasedandautomatically closes the entrance opening.

The crane 26 is of ordinary construction and may form part of, or beerected against thereceptacle, or may beseparate or distinct from it, asmay be desired, as it individually forms no part of this invention.

When it is desired to use the catcher, without using the delivery arm(as at stations where there is no receptacle) the pin 27 is withdrawnallowing the catcher to be rotated independently of the horizontal shaft9,1eaving the delivery arm against the side of the car, where it may belocked by inserting the pin 27 in the slotted lugs .44, between whichthe slotted projection 45 011 the delivering arm passes when the armisswungin. Then this is done the accidental separation of the shaft '9from the catcher is prevented by a second pin 46 passing through thebase of the catcher and thronghan annular recess formed near the end ofthe shaft 9 all as will be readily understood from Figs. 5 and 6.

The whole device is exceedingly simple and with practically the samelabor mails may be delivered and caught While the train is runningatfull speed. In the practical operation of the device the postal clerkhangs the bag on the holder by the rings or loops at itsends, while thedelivering arm is turned in with its end projecting into the dooropening. Then as the station is approached he grasps the handle of thecatcher, turning the latter into operative position and simultaneouslyswinging thedeliveringarm out into operative position. When the stationis passed the catcher will automatically swing down into normal positionand turn the delivery arm in where it maybe looked as before set forth.

Having thus describedmyinvention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-- 1. The combinationof a longitudinally movable mail catcher and a mail delivery arm pivotedon horizontal and vertical axes respectively with interposed gearin gheld against longitudinal movement with the catcher whereby the turningof the catcher on its horizontal axis will cause the delivery arm toswing on its vertical axis, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a mail catcher, a horizontal shaft to which it issecured, a swinging delivery arm, pivoted on a vertical axis and bevelgears on the catcher shaft and delivery arms, meshing with each other,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of the delivery arm, the vertical shaft upon which itis mounted, the horizontal shaft, the gearing held against longitudinalmovement connecting the shafts, and a mail catcher connected to rotatewith and capable of a movement longitudinally of the horizontal shaftwhereby when the mail catcher is turned it turns the delivery arm on thevertical shaft, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the swinging delivery arm, the vertical shaftthereof, the hori-. zontal shaft geared thereto, and held againstlongitudinal movement the catcher mounted on said shaft and having anindependent longitudinal movement, and the buffer between the endof thecatcher and the bearing of the horizontal shaft, substantially as andfor the purposes set forth.

5. The combination of the horizontal shaft mounted to rotate in bearingson one side of the car door and held against longitudinal movement, themail catcher mounted on the end of said shaft and capable of anindependent longitudinal movement, bearings on the other side of the cardoor to receive the other end of the catcher, and a delivery armoperated by the horizontal shaft, substantially as and for the purposesset forth.

v6. The combination with the hearings on each side of the car door, ofthe horizontal shaft mounted in one set of bearings and held againstlongitudinal movement the catcher mounted on the end of the shaft andsecured at its opposite end in .the other set of bearings so as to becapable of a longitudinal movement, the bufier collar around the shaftbehind the catcher, and the adjustable stop collar on the catcher at theopposite end; substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. A mail bag delivery and catching mechanism, the combination with theswinging delivery arm, and the horizontal shaft controlling the same, ofthe swinging catcher and a removable connector between the catcher andshaft controlling the delivery arm, whereby the catcher and delivery armmay be operated simultaneously or independently; substantially asdescribed.

8. ha mail bag delivery and catching mechanism, the combination with theswinging delivering arm and the horizontal shaft controlling the same,of the catcher arm connected with said shaft but capable of anindependent swinging and longitudinal movement and a removable key forlocking the catcher and shaft for simultaneous rotation; substantiallyas described.

9. The combination with a mail bag receiver for receiving the bag from amoving car and having a flaring mouth,'of a door for automaticallyclosing said mouth and a catch for holding the door open and a releaserlocated Within the receiverand lying in the path of the mail bag,substantially as described.

10. The combination with a mail bag receiver for receiving the bag froma moving car and having a flaring mouth, of a door for automaticallyclosing saidmouth, a catch for holding the door open anda pivotedreleaser for said catch located within and in the rear portion of thereceiver in position to be struck by the incoming bag; substantially asdescribed. i

11. The combination with a mail bag receiver for receiving the bag froma moving car of a door for automatically closing the entrance opening ofthe receiver, a catch for holding the door and a movable support for theentering bag with a connection between said support and catch;substantially as described. V

12. The combination with a mail bag receiver for receiving the bag froma moving car of a door for automatically closing the entrance opening, ahinged yielding buffer for arresting the bag and a catch for holding thedoor released by the buffer; substantially as described. i

13. In a mail bag delivering apparatus, the combination with-the bagholder and deliv erer suspended on the car to yield toward the rear, andhaving a projecting releasing lever, of a trip located at the side ofthe track and having a series of yielding fingers against which thereleasing lever strikes and whereby it is moved to release thebag;substantially as described.

14. In a mail bag delivery apparatus, the combination with the bagholder and deliverer mounted on the car and having an upwardlyprojecting releasing lever, of a trip located beside the track, andhavinga series ofpendulous yielding fingers located in the path of thereleasing lever, whereby the bag isreleased below the trip;substantially as described.

15. In a mail bag delivering apparatus, the combination with the bagholder and deliverer mounted on the car and having the upwardlyprojecting releasing lever, of a'bag receiver, a crane and a yieldingtrip carried by the crane above the level of the receiver and inposition to strike the releasing armon the bag holder; substantially asdescribed.

16. A mail bag delivering device consisting of the block or frame havingthe finger'and latch at the lower end the locking lever for the latch,and the releasing lever projecting above the block; or frame;substantially as described.

17. A mailbag deliveringdevice consisting end for the reception of thesupporting arm;

substantially as described.

18. In a mailbag delivering mechanism, the combination with thependnlous bag holder and releasing lever therefor mounted on the car, ofthe bag receiver having the open mouth into which the bag passes withthe top above said mouth slotted for the passage of the holder anddeliverer, and a trip located above the level of the receiver and in thepath of the releasing lever; substantially asdescribed.

19. In a mailbag delivering mechanism, the combination with thependnlous bag holder and releasing lever therefor mounted on the car, ofthe bag receiver having the open mouth with the inclined slotted roofwhereby the bag may enter the receiver and the holder pass through theslot; substantially as described. 20. In a mailbag delivering mechanism,the

combination with the pendnlous bag holder and releasing lever thereformounted on the car of the bag receiver having the open mouth with theinclinedslotted roof for thepassage of the holder and the trip locatedin the path of the releasing lever, whereby the bag is released as itpasses into the mouth of the receiver; substantially as described.

21. In a mail bag delivering mechanism, the

combination with the holding and delivering mechanism on the car, of thereceiver having an open mouth in the path of the bag and supports forthe receiver passing under and forming part of the track bed whereby therelative position of the receiver and track are main tainedsubstantially as described.

BENJAMIN D. AYARS, JR.

lVitnesses:

WM. B. HARVEY, II. E. PREDMORE.

